316L, 304, and why the grade matters for jewelry worn on skin
Both are stainless steel. Only one is specified for pieces worn against skin — and the difference is one element.
316L and 304 are both austenitic stainless steels, and both are sold as “stainless steel jewelry”. The practical difference is molybdenum: 316L adds it for chloride resistance.
Why chloride resistance matters
Sweat, pool water and sea water are all chloride environments. Chlorides attack the passive layer on stainless steel; molybdenum makes that layer hold. This is why 316L — not 304 — is the grade used for pieces worn against skin on our stainless and titanium steel line.
What buyers should check
Grade claims are only as good as the incoming inspection behind them. On every spec sheet for this line, the base material grade is a stated field, verified at incoming inspection — not a marketing word on a category page.
The same logic applies to plating claims
A grade number without verification is a story. Ask how the grade is checked, on which lots, and what documentation travels with the shipment. If the answer is “trust us”, you have learned something — just not about the steel.